Testing starts at 32 MW Ngawha geothermal plant extension in Northland, New Zealand
Top Energy and engineers from Ormat are running first tests of the new 32 MW Ngawha geothermal power plant in Northland, New Zealand with an expected commercial start before Christmas.
As reported locally, power company Top Energy and engineers of Ormat Technologies have started testing of the 32 MW Ngawha geothermal power plant extensions in Northland, New Zealand.
The first tests, so NZ Herald, started with production wells being opened, steam blowing through pipelines through the power plant and mufflers.
Top Energy’s CEO, Russell Shaw said following the success of the initial tests the next step, in about two weeks’ time, would be to fill the system with pentane gas. The geothermal fluid derived from the wells will then run through a heat exchanger and heat the pentane which then drives the turbines to generate electricity.
The expansion plant will add 32 MW of geothermal power generation capacity to the existing 25 MW of the first plant. While yet an additional expansion planned to add another 32 MW in 2023 will go on will have to be seen.
The plant is expected to start commercial operation before Christmas 2020, around 6 months ahead of schedule.
Source: NZ Herald